Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-05-01
Beme Interesting Facts
About Its Population
and Its Cities.
The Pansma RAilrosd-Big Dividsnds
asd ExfoFtionats Rstss-How ths
coadsstsra Use thsIr REVIEWERS.
The Panama Canas-evsr ssxen Fan.
aFed aIliiSn RTaaes Already
Kxpesaed and the work Vet
0ne-haIf Completes.

towH and the French residents iavs
Fiably call Il Colon, in honor Of Chris
TOPPER Columbus, while the Americans
have renamed Il Aspinwall, in honor Of
the man who did much towards the CON
pletion Of She railroad that connects the
Atlantic With the Pacific ocean. Aspin- |
wall, however, IL peculiar tn many other
respects than 10 TIE matter Of names
No other city on tbs face OF tbe globe, |
perhaps, Il more unfortunate in point Of |
situation and populatioa than this. II
IL literally built In a swamp, and In the |
vet season the ground for several miles |
Ia area II covered With water, while Ia |
the dry season the maEsby soil yawns
and cracks open 30 such an extent A. 20 |
make travelling dangerous. The houses |
are In keeping with the ground upon /
which they are built. being, as 4 rule. |
miserable one stsry hats, some resting |
directly upon the ground and others /
are raised several feet upon piles. The /
business blocks are not much better |
than the residences, although there are |
fsw respectable looking and rather 1
pFetentlous buildings two aud three /
stories IN hight. The entire town has q /
population Of about 1000 and as IL nov |
stands has been bnils 40 within the pas. |
$40 yeara. Ths old town was cOmpletely |
swept out Of existene by the FIRE started |
~ the revolutionary party Ia April. |
1896. This revolution was instiost d /
and carried through BY A Jamarin |
negro, and was most disastrous in ita |
effects. For few days q couple OF han
dred male0ntents, composed principally |
Of negroes and desperate white men Of |
al nationalities, maintained a reign Of /
terror and ovefaWed all opposition. Tue |
insurgents went 10 far a. 20 arrest 40 |
American otfieer snd hold him as /
hostage to keep admiral Jarrett, Of the |
American Navy, who was Ia the harbor |
with tbs flagship Tennessee, from &C.
lively interfering. They, moreover,
threatened 10 barn the town IL the |
Panama Railroad attempted to trans
port the Government troops from /
Panama 10 the scene Of action. The |
road, hswever, refused 10 DO intimida,ed |
by the threat, and, true 10 their word,
the insurgents applied the torch - the /
CITY and burned Il 10 the ground. The /
loss was OF course immense, aud every |
thing OF value, except the lsBd itself. /
was swept out Of exisisnee, the property
holders being we'll satisfied 10 escape /
with their lives.
The city Of Panama. situated on the
Pacific ridge Of the lsthmRs, IL older
than Aapinwali and more substantial 10
every respect. There II not about il,
however, that air Of picturesque sqaalor
and restless business animation that
charaoteFizs the latter city.
nnNh Aurfnan aua -. - /
OF the United States OF Colombia,
which IL a repahlio in name, bat WHOA
in reality is an OligafOhy Of the most
eorFapt kind. The Government CARDS
che Isthmas supply as a Legitimate
source Of revenue, and no form Of vioa
IL too degrading 10 receive She sanction
Of the Government, II that sanction is
well paid fer. The population Of the
entire Isthmus IL literally composed OF
she scun OF the earth. AdventureFs OF
every color and nationality flock thither
by the Hundreds, and hnd lheFs con
genial company and Surroundings.
While the larger part of the inhabitants
are Jamaica aud Martinique negroes
there are also many Ffcncbmen and
Germans there, who vera attracted to
the place bV the tempting salaries
offered By the Canal Company, or BY the
protits TO be made In business. Tue ne
Rroes are A. a rule law, vioioas and in
provtdent. All their earnings are spen.
In RAN or lost az gaming The extent
10 which this latter vice h carried
u really appalling aud may b.
inferred from che fact that several
hundred thousand dollars are annually
paid b the Government fer the privi.
lege Of licensing gambling saloons.
Everybody from the high aalaried OH
ciAl to the poorly paid laborer gAmbles.
and 20 prevalent IA the vice that It is
INST an uncommop thing TO see q roo
letto wheel In full operation 10 the aiid
die OF street, Next 10 gambling.
drinking is the greatest earse. Every
other building has saloon and svsFy ,
saloon Is crowded from early 10 the
morning ell late AZ night. 10 the total
consumption OF liquor each year 10
these two tropical cities ooEld be ascef
tanned u wauld furnish startling array
OF aRuFes. The negroes drink fer the
pleAsnrabie effect, while the foreisn sle
ment OF the population drink because
they feel the ueed Of sons siimulaut 10 |
counteFaes the enetyatinR iufiueuee Of ,
The terrible beat. AZ most OF the liquor ,
IL Adulteraied. II undeeminss the systeso | I
and paves the way for tue deadly fever I
OF the vet season, which carries sf the I
population by the hundreds There IL |
Rrooshly no place in she world where ,
the rate OF mortality il greater at Ger /
tain seasons than upon this Isthmus.
The Panama railroad and the ship |
saRal that is being bniit are the two en- /
teFprisss that support the mass Of the '
people. The railroad is MONOPOLY OF :
the worst kind, aud has proved a sold !
mine 10 it, owners. BY lis concession J
from the Government is Is secure from /
competition, aud Absolutely an !
tFamslled, 80 far as its rates are con !
ceFned. The result is that its oharees {
for passenger and freight service sse
worse than extoFtioData. The road was !
originally capitalized for seven million | I
dollars. whtch was a liberal capitalism {
tion for road a. miles long. Toe I
stocks have been wAtersd until IL il nos | 1
etehtsen millians OF dollars. Aud yes. !
upon their stocks the road paws from 81 | !
30 40 per cent annually. Whil5 the read | /
rohs the pahlic, she efiieisis rob the |
road. and u seems 10 be . usidered the ! Z
correct taiEg for any railroad enpisyea :
who Is in position 20 DO 90, % steal As | ,
much as possible. Oae conductor on / \
the road Sho went 30 the IstAmas wth I
out q cent, amasssd 10 ave wears fer !
tune OF Se1oO0 AZ one Of the soHdue | !
tors once remarked, I'VE doaf 9 inss !
down here Tor oGr srAith." Each co q
ductoF carries loaded revolver, aus I I
any ohstre peroas dsrky who attempts :
30 evade The payment q bis fSrs Il /
sunmarily dealt With. The conductor / :
realize the desperate character 81 their ! {
patrons. asd make q rale never 30 lss q
= passenger get tse drop on them, ,
Not Iona ssuca ueera. Skea aekcd tee :
third OF fourth time tor bis fsrs made !
rather an excited dive for bis bag that !
wsa under she sat 30 set, 90 % tanned :
Oat afterwards. his maasy. has - ths {
conductor teoekAt - gea knife. VIII. I
cut = ssousas's bssttagioa she conaaa. 4
taF pallcs BIS revolver sAd sspt = ballet ! I
throGgh TIE unfortunate mans |
Grain. The eFlEse WAa unpardanAhss. !
and the eandnrRor was arrested. tried I
convicted sHd sentsncsd 10 lcng tsrua :
81 impFtsor He vas not 10 can :
aneasnt, haSsSsf, Haare than q uesk. {
when railroad gclS opsHsd bis cell daog 1
sid enabled hin b. eseApa So q Pashs Z
Mail bsaa ghat vas swtittng him Nss I
ev Jastiee on the isshmas - proas :
AGAINST uaosey. 10